A Big Thanks From Big Bertha

The rescue and rehabilitation of injured native animals is a team effort and Bertha the wombat has many people to thank. Bertha was injured near a major highway and then was seen scurrying down her burrow. First she had to be dug out of the burrow. When rescued, X-rays showed Bertha had fractured her pelvis in three places.

The prognosis however was good as wombats have very strong muscles in this area of their body which would support the fractures while they healed.While not happy to begin with in her new in-care environment Bertha eventually saw we were there to help her and a positive relationship evolved. Wombats can be quite vicious when they need to be, but Bertha quickly settled in with some gentle stroking and soothing talk.

While she was immobile she had a bed of straw at night to prevent pressure sores and during the day was taken outside to the grass so she could graze. Bertha was in our care for several months and was able to rest recover from her injuries and gain weight in a safe environment before being released in a safe place. As Bertha recovered she began to wander further afield . On one occasion when Steve picked her up to bring her back to the front yard she latched onto his hand – quite gently . Rosemary had to open her mouth to release Steve’s hand . She had no intention of hurting him . She just wanted to be put down and continue to eat grass! When she was fully recovered and had become a ‘Big ‘ Bertha again she was released near a stream on an organic fruit and nut farm.